To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 29 May 1809
From Benjamin Henry Latrobe
Washington, May 29h. 1809.
Sir,
I have the honor to lay before you an account of the expenditure of 5.000$, advanced to me on account of the furniture of the President’s house.1
It will appear from the account itself that some of the payment have been made only on account of Claims. The Vouchers therefore being incomplete, untill the whole accounts shall have been liquidated, it has not be[en] possible to settle thus far the payments made, to my credit at the Treasury. This will be done, as soon as I am enable[d] to compleat the payment of all accounts rendered in full.
A further advance to this object, is therefore respectfully solicited. I am with highest respect Yrs. faithfully
B Henry Latrobe
[Enclosure]
Account current, B Henry Latrobe, with the Furniture of the President’s House
Dr. | $ | |||
|
5.000.— | |||
⅌ Contra Cr. | ||||
|
1.060.— | |||
By do ——— do ——— to settle small accts. | 550.— | |||
|
||||
|
1.225.— | |||
By do. ——— Paul S. Brown for China, | 556.15 | |||
|
220.90 | |||
By do. ——— John Cox, for sundries (⅌ remittance to Peter Harvie Pha.) |
840.70 | |||
By do ——— Geo: Blake for a Guitar | 28.00 | |||
By do ——— Andrew Hazlehurst for a Pianoforte, | 458.00 | |||
By Commission @ 2 ⅌ Cent | 100.— | |||
$5.038.75 |
To Hohman, for repairs of Copper Vessels & new ones, | 92.62½ | |||
To Louis Mark, 3 large Chimney Glasse[s] | 600.37½ | |||
To Labille, upholsterer, not less than | 150.— | |||
|
1.000.— | |||
1.743.00 |
An additional advance is therefore respectfully solicited of 3 or 4.000 dollars.
B Henry Latrobe.
RC and enclosure (DLC). Docketed by JM. Enclosure in Latrobe’s hand.
1. “An Act making provision for the further accommodation of the household of the President of the United States” of 2 Mar. had authorized JM to sell furnishings of the President’s House that were “decayed, out of repair, or unfit for use,” employing the proceeds and a $14,000 appropriation to buy “such articles of furniture as he shall direct.” The appropriation and proceeds from sales were paid into the President’s Furniture Fund (established early in John Adams’s administration), of which JM had appointed Latrobe agent ( , 2:533).